While the Canucks were getting into Boston this afternoon, their arrival led to some rather interesting reactions from GM Mike Gillis and coach Alain Vigneault. While many would be curious about what their mindset is coming to Boston with a 2-0 lead, they had other things on their mind like standing up for one of their players.

During last night’s Game 2, defenseman Kevin Bieksa was felled with a slash to the back of his leg from Bruins forward Rich Peverley. The chop dropped Bieksa to the ice and left him hobbled for the remainder of the game and leaving him a step or two slow, the Canucks certainly took notice of who did it and they’re unhappy that there was no call made on the play.

During today’s press conference Vigneault made it known that they’re not happy. Commence the politicking.

Q. Alain, you knew what the Bruins were about before this series, one of the more physical teams in this league. Bieksa and Kesler were hobbled a little bit last night. Do you sense them playing that card in this series?

COACH VIGNEAULT: I think if you look at the stat sheet at the end of the day, we’re hitting as hard as they are. If you look at the stat sheets throughout the playoffs, we’re the team that’s got the most hits. That’s part of our game.

Kevin didn’t get hit by Peverley, he got a cheap shot in the back of the knee, so that’s totally different. He went down because of something that obviously you don’t want to see in the game.

But at the end of the day, we know that they’re a big, physical team. We can play a speed game, but we can also play a physical-type game, which I think we’ve shown throughout the playoffs.

Gillis was asked later on if he approached the NHL about the Peverley infraction in question and Gillis was quick to the point saying, “I didn’t talk to them.”

What’s fascinating here is that we’re just a day removed from seeing Alex Burrows being the man of the match in Game 2 scoring two goals and an assist in a game he likely shouldn’t have been playing in after biting Patrice Bergeron. Of course, all that is out of sight and out of mind for the Canucks staff when it comes to their own players.

If you’re a Bruins fan and you’re reading all of this we apologize for the rage you’re feeling about all this but it’s all part of how things go off the ice in the game. The Canucks have shown a masterful ability to get after the officials in their own subtle ways and the bristling that was evident out of both Gillis and Vigneault shows how deadly serious they are in getting that little edge. It may not come off sound fair nor right to Boston fans and it probably makes you hate the Canucks all the more but it’s these sorts of things that teams feel give them an edge.

While they didn’t look to the NHL to take any action on Peverley, them saying what they did this evening wasn’t intended for their ears. They’re hoping that tomorrow night’s officials heard everything loud and clear.

Whew, at least he is ok. by the way he reacted, i thought they were going to amputate right there on the ice. from the pain on his face, i bet he is going to miss the rest of the series and most of next year. 12 months of intensive re-hab coupled with mechanical parts to put this man back together. its going to be tough on this innocent and peaceful man who only wants to play pure finesse hockey and not get involved in any of the darker side that others like to get involved with.

wait, what? he was out there for his next shift? he must be some type of miracle man. a true legend of healing prowess. him and wolverine from x-men must be the same type of mutants. we are all mere mortals in comparison to this man.

slickey - Jun 6, 2011 at 3:34 AM

I would like to remind all bruins fans that the NHL chose to suspend Tortarella last year for a playoff gm in his spraying of a fan with a water bottle, I guess Tampa fans should be crying foul when Horton not only sprays a fan but tosses the bottle at em after gm 6 and Horton doesn’t get suspended and then goes on and scores the only goal in gm 7 to knock them out of playoffs, oh how quick we forget when shoe is on the other foot

Le’s face it Peverly is a slime ball for that cheap shot and all it will do is piss off Bieksa and watch as he is the next canuck to score a big goal on Thomas. ( That is if Thomas can stay in the net long enough to see who scored it and not lined up for popcorn like he was last night on Burrows goal ). Maybe Chara should watch Bieksa to get a few pointers on how to angle a guy off when he’s headed for your net. But in the imortal words of Don the puke Cherry “Let em play” and stop your bitching. PS Burrows said Bergeron uses grape flavored nail polish.

canucks18 - Jun 5, 2011 at 10:02 PM

Spiffy… Can you honestly say that slash was a decent play? You have got to be kidding… Give your head a shake if you think that Peverly was within his rights and making a good play… You’re brutal and your blabbling is a pathetic attempt at being funny.

spiffy53 - Jun 6, 2011 at 8:21 AM

your powers of impartial observation are truely remarkable. you are a gift to the rest of us. thank you.

One team dives, one team slashes, no one gets suspended, and they both complain. Neither team can really talk…

canucks18 - Jun 6, 2011 at 12:57 AM

Canucks have been the better team for sure. And the “diving” excuse from all these whiners is such a joke. Its a natural instinct when something hits you in the face to try to pull your head away which creates what you fools try to call diving

People arent talking about high stick diving calls. Its stuff like H Sedin did. Acting like he got shot… Im not saying whether they are or arent diving, just for people who use the diving excuse its not about high sticks…

The hit by Bieksa on Peverly was clean…Peverly’s slash on Bieksa was far from it. As for the biting, Burrows would not have had to bite Bergeron if he didn’t fish hook Burrows by shoving his hand in his mouth…seriously, if they had suspended Burrows they would have also had to suspend Bergeron for his actions which led to the bite…that is why nothing happened…and what would you do if someone shoved there fingers in your mouth…kiss them??? Bergeron needs to stop whining about a nip on a well padded gloved hand!

Canucks fan? The classic “he stuck his finger in my mouth so i bit it” excuse. Because that sort of thing happens all the time? Its the new thing for players to stick their fingers in other people mouth..
Guess that was the only logical excuse for Burrows biting Bergeron.